assistance that it would otherwise provide. FEMA applicants will be best served by such donors if the donor provides the recipient with a letter indicating that the funding is for certain specific purposes. For instance, an Irene survivor receive a donation from a private foundation to compensate her for losses related to the destruction of the inventory of her small business located within her home. This donation was not a duplicate benefit because it covered losses not allowable under IHP.
Where an application is denied because the disaster victim has not applied to SBA
(i.e., the applicant had the opportunity to access an alternative funding resource but opted not to do so, so duplication has been implied), if the applicant is low-income, you may be able to resolve the issue without a formal appeal. In such cases, a call to the FEMA Service Center at 800-621-FEMA to point out that the applicant’s only income is Social Security, for example, may suffice.
Ineligibility Based on Program Requirements Where program eligibility requirements are allegedly not met, appeals involve
providing as much evidence and documentation as possible to show that the applicant satisfies eligibility requirements. After Irene, some tenants were surprised to find their FEMA applications denied because of the shared household rule. Their landlords had already applied for benefits, falsely claiming to be occupants in the property rented out to the tenant. To appeal such a denial, the tenant would provide a copy of her lease, cancelled rent checks, show utility bills in her name, and legal records (tax form, driver’s license, etc.) listing her address.
Insufficient Documentation of Losses or Disputes as to the Value of Losses The applicant should provide as much evidence and documentation as possible to
show the costs the applicant has or will incur due to the disaster. The applicant will need to obtain a copy of her FEMA file to see how much funding FEMA has allotted for each type of repair needed. The applicant can contest FEMA’s estimates by demonstrating that the estimates for repairs FEMA has used in its calculation are too low or by showing that FEMA has applied the wrong type of repair to the homeowner’s problem. For instance, in one Irene case, a homeowner’s septic system failed due to the flood. FEMA included an estimate for a leach field system, but the homeowner’s property would only support a mound system. With a report from a licensed septic system designer, the applicant was able to obtain additional funding to repair the system. In most cases, however, the applicant will be required to produce at least two estimates from licensed contractors, electricians, plumbers, or other repair persons.
In a very limited number of cases, the applicant may appeal for home replacement
value rather than home repair value. This is particularly appropriate in cases involving damage to a mobile home. Mobile homes are rendered structurally unsound with even slight shifts of their cement blocks. The cost of repairing the flooring, walls, electrical system, and insulation in a mobile home inundated with as little as 3 inches of water will usually not be financially reasonable given the trailer’s pre-disaster value. To appeal for
15
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118